The U.S. state capital originally called Edwinton when founded in 1872 was Bismarck.
Edwinton was named for Edwin Ferry Johnson, a civil engineer associated with the Northern Pacific Railway. The settlement was established along the Missouri River in Dakota Territory, where the railroad was being developed.
In 1873, the town was renamed Bismarck after German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. The new name was intended to attract German immigrants and encourage investment from German interests. North Dakota became a state in 1889, and Bismarck served as its capital.
A frequent mistake is to choose Fargo, the state’s largest city, or nearby Mandan, which lies across the Missouri River. Bismarck’s location on the river and its connection with the Northern Pacific Railway helped it become an important regional center. The city remains North Dakota’s governmental hub and is also the seat of Burleigh County.